Bard subjob?

[Manwe]

I've read about this a few places. However I haven't been able to find any real info as to why this is a viable combo and how it would be played. Does anyone have any experience/information on Nin/Brd? Thanks. :thumbsup:

(Edited for clarity)

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

There's a sticky for this already, /WHM and /NIN are the high tier subs and the best. I wouldn't dare lean on one or the other entirely but if I were to, it would be /WHM because you can pull just fine without shadows if you have extensive experience with pulling. I'd also choose /WHM purely because it helps aid in the reduction of downtime by BRD covering various status cures for a main healer.

/RDM is passable, /COR rather extremely situational.

What subjob you're asking about? I have no idea because you didn't say.

[Manwe]

Lol, sorry. Guess it wasn't clear. I was talking about subbing Bard for Ninja, not what to sub for Bard. Not exactly the place for that. lol :wasted:

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Lol, sorry. Guess it wasn't clear. I was talking about subbing Bard for Ninja, not what to sub for Bard. Not exactly the place for that. lol :wasted:

Misleading topic! 50 Lashes for you! :evil:

Well I can tell you a little about it in regards to NIN.

Its pretty nice for solo as it allows you to get regens through Paeon songs, so you'll rarely have to rest when you do takes some damage. Raptor Mazurka can generate a big hate spike with PT members in range. With a good haste build you can get these songs up and often. There's also Sheepfoe Mambo to give your evasion and extra boost and March for even more Haste.

So lots of applications and you get to look like a goober for singing.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

I was reading a thread on Alla the other day about /DRK and /BRD. Apparently, those are two viable end-game subs.

From what I read, /BRD is used for kiting. You would use Raptor Mazurka to give yourself a very large hate spike, and then kite the mob with your increased movement speed.

[Manwe]

Hmm... seems I'm going to have to lvl Brd and mess around with this a little. lol :evil:

[Murphie]

It's in the Ninja forum. I thought his question was pretty obvious.

Anywho, it's pretty nifty for teh hate, as already mentioned. Just make sure to hit as many members of your party as possible with Mazurka and you're golden.

[Malacite]

/DRK is for Stun spamming.

[KoukiRyu]

/DRK is for Stun spamming.

Not so much on NIN I'd think. >_> It's not like they have an extensive enough MP pool to stun with...especially with NIN/DRK...not to mention that he's Elvaan.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Not so much on NIN I'd think. >_> It's not like they have an extensive enough MP pool to stun with...especially with NIN/DRK...not to mention that he's Elvaan.
The party setup I've read for NIN/DRK stun-lock tanking is 2 x NIN/DRKs + a combination of 2 jobs from RDM / BRD / COR + whoever else. The two NINs would share hate, and spam stun. Two refresher jobs would be enough to keep both NINs healthy enough MP wise, without requiring a large MP pool (so race would not be an issue).

I don't remember specifically what this setup was being recommended for. I'm guessing it's for meritting.

[onorok]

It's a situational sub. I need to level BRD to 37 to try as PLD/BRD (two PLD mains in my LS have done this at a few fights), and once my NIN is 75 I'll need to level DRK to 37.

I think NIN/BRD is mainly for tight quarter situations (e.g. Fafnir), where spamming songs and close proximity of party members will continually ramp up your hate, plus it's zero MP. NIN/DRK is haste heavy, I think trying to get Stun timer down to 21s, plus you can use Souleater and swap in an HP build, allowing you to get some more hate. NIN/DRK is probably for more spread out fights, where the tank is distanced from mages, e.g. Bahamut or Cerberus (sp?).

[onorok]

Forgot to add, I knew of a NIN that would sub BRD when soloing, and wear Melody Earrings, whose latent would be triggered by having a song on them.

[Taskmage]

Yeah, Stun is only 25 mp with a 45 second recast. It only takes 27 seconds to regain that much mp from rdm refresh or sanction refresh + Ballad II. Even with haste and a great haste gear build, you're not going to get the recast timer down to less than that. A second refresher isn't needed.

Even a stun every 15 seconds isn't enough to keep the mob truly "locked." I think this is mainly an alternate means of keeping hate and a tool to make it easier to recast shadows.

I've never seen this done, but it sounds interesting. If only nin and pld didn't have to wait for level 74 to stop being reliant on war sub to maintain hate.

[Icemage]

I've seen both NIN/DRK and NIN/BRD used to great effect at end-game.

In situations where your party isn't moving (i.e. Tiamat, Jormungand, Fafnir/Nidhogg), NIN/BRD is very effective, since Raptor Mazurka takes very little time to cast and ramps a lot of enmity when it hits an entire party. NIN/DRK is for similar situations where you don't always have the luxury of having your whole party immediately nearby but still need extra hate spikes.

I've never heard of anyone using either combination effectively in a kiting situation.


Icemage

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

The one thing about Mazurka that differs from the rest of BRD songs is that once you are hit, it wears off regardless of it also being duration-based - its the only BRD song that does that - so if you never got far enough after casting it and did get tagged while kiting, then you would no longer be able to use the speed to your advantage.